DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF COMPUTER SCIENCE TEACHING THROUGH VIRTUAL LABORATORIES ON A FREE PLATFORM

Abstract

The active use of information and communication technologies in the educational process is one of the most common modern directions. The integration of digital tools in teaching computer science has a positive effect on students ' learning motivation, contributes to the creation of an interactive educational environment and the active inclusion of students in the learning process. One of the most promising areas of digital transformation is certainly the use of virtual laboratories, especially those developed on the basis of open software. Such laboratories allow you to implement a practice-oriented approach to training, providing access to resources regardless of place and time, and also contribute to the development of professional and ICT competencies of students. Based on open software, virtual laboratories offer the following capabilities: modeling algorithms, visualizing computing processes, implementing projects, testing programs, etc. These tools will be effective in organizing distance and hybrid learning, as well as in shaping a personalized educational trajectory. In the course of the study, a qualitative method of document analysis was used. In addition, the pedagogical effectiveness of using virtual laboratories in practical classes and project-based activities was evaluated, revealing an increase in students’ motivation and autonomy. Tinkercad, Open Roberta Lab, Code.org an overview of the most demanded and effective virtual laboratories, such as. Their functional features are described and illustrations of their use in educational practice are given. Thanks to this, the most promising areas of use of virtual laboratories based on open software have been identified, which can serve as the basis for the development of new methodological solutions in teaching computer science.